In latching devices for cases, such as luggage cases, it is generally known to employ a pair of latch members near opposite corners of one case section for cooperation with respective spaced hasps or keepers mounted on the other case section and to remotely control the latch members by manually operable control means located intermediate the two latch members.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,555,860 to Atkinson, for example, discloses a luggage case latching device which includes a pair of overlapping, longitudinally movable slide plates each having a slide rod connected thereto, the outer end of each rod being formed as a latch hook for engaging a respective keeper. Each slide rod has a push button associated therewith. Movement of the push buttons inwardly toward each other with the luggage case closed moves the slide rods into latching position in which the latch hooks engage their respective hasps, whereas, movement of the push buttons outwardly away from each other releases the keepers to enable opening of the luggage case. The inner ends of the two slide plates have notches which are disposed in overlapping alignment when the slide rods are in latching position. When the multiple dials of a centrally located combination lock are off combination, these notches receive a projection on a tiltable fence member, thereby releasably locking the slide rods in latching position.
The Atkinson device has several limitations. To latch together the cooperable sections of a luggage case employing the device, it is necessary to move the two push buttons inwardly toward each other while simultaneously holding the cooperable luggage case sections together. In accordance with common practice, during closing of the luggage case the user may place both hands on the case near opposite corners thereof so that the luggage case sections can be drawn together by the force exerted between the palm and fingers of each hand. In fact, if the luggage case is overpacked, this may be the only satisfactory method of applying the considerable force required to hold the luggage case sections together. However, when the luggage case sections are being held together by both hands, inward movement of the push buttons (for example, by thumb pressure) is awkward for the user. Furthermore, when the case is overpacked to such an extent that it is difficult to hold the luggage case sections together, the luggage case sections cannot be drawn together even a small amount by operation of the latching device, because the latch hooks and associated keepers are not formed for drawing engagememt. Even if the latch hooks and keepers were so formed, the construction of the Atkinson device would not enable the user to apply to the push buttons the substantial inward pressure required to draw the luggage case sections together while simultaneously forcing the luggage case sections together by the force of both hands.